Esther was the daughter of Alfred Hiram McKim and Cora Ellen Fullerton. She married Victor Earl Clay on Oct. 10, 1921 in Iola, Allen Co., KS. To this union no children were born.

Esther and Victor moved frequently in the early years of their marriage. In 1920 Esther lived in OK. and then moved to KS in 1921 where she married Victor. By 1922 they were living in PA. and then went back to KS and lived in a tent while Victor was working. The latter part of 1923 they moved back to MO. and then back to PA. in 1924 where they resided until Esther became sick with Tuberculosis. They then moved to Arizona in 1948 because of Esther's health issues, taking advantage of the dry heat of the Arizona desert. Lastly, they moved to San Bernardino in 1955 to be near Esther's family and that is where Esther remained until her death. Victor passed away several years before Esther and Esther always kept his memory alive.

Esther was always a very stylish and well groomed lady. She got along famously with her in-laws and was the social butterfly of the family. She collected china, glassware, teacups, and linens. She crocheted, knitted, sewed quilts, gardened, and canned. She belonged to the Sarah Rebekah Lodge #346 in Fontana and the Magnolia Rebekah Lodge # 94. At one point she owned a hotel with her sister Velma named "The American Hotel" in San Bernardino until it burnt down.

Esther always had an enormous love for family and enjoyed visits from friends and relatives until her dying day. She was a surrogate grandmother to me because my grandmother had passed away when I was only ten. When I had my children, she requested that they call her grandma because she was never able to have children of her own.

Esther and her sister Velma were the ones who spearheaded my love of genealogy with their family stories of the "old days". All of my family research I do for them.

Esther was the last of her family to pass away. She is buried with her husband Victor and at the head of her grave is her sister Velma Johnson and her husband Crofford.